Wisconsin Crank Call Rocks Union Story

Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, said he expects three Republican senators to come forward in the next day or two to end the stalemate and request that the budget repair bill be withdrawn, though he wouldn’t name the trio. “They may be ready to step forward,” Larson said. “That’s the way we can see this ending now. There are Democratic senators who are trying to talk to them and encourage them to step forward and say publicly that they don’t want this bill. We hope a few of them stand up and be brave.” – Wisconsin State Journal (via Huffington Post)

Doesn’t anyone remember Sarah Palin getting punk’d? You’d think that would have taught politicians to be more careful, if George “macaca” Allen’s moment didn’t.

The Kochs and Gov. Walker are now linked forever. It’s the Right’s George Soros moment. From David Weigel:

[…] How did the Kochs become the villains of Madison? They have, for decades, bankrolled libertarian think tanks and programs, and they help put on conferences where conservative ideas are spread. Among the ideas they end up spreading are drug legalization and opposition to the Patriot Act. The Tea Party was the first movement funded in part by the Kochs that really took off.

So why credit everything that Republicans are trying to do now to Kochs’ influence? Partly because they do have some influence, and partly, as the Assembly Democrats kept goading Republicans, because they are shadowy “New York billionaires.” A complicated fight over public-sector unions can be broadened into a stand against secretive malefactors of wealth, who can be connected somehow to every conservative victory or idea. And the fear and paranoia grows, because, theoretically, they could be spending more than anyone knows. If Citizens United lets conservatives spend more money secretly, it has a hell of a side effect.

It’s put the Right on defense, which means the story has turned dramatically against Walker, no matter what conservatives think of him. Just look at the wingnut list from Memeorandum earlier today.

Michelle Malkin: Video: CWA union thug strikes young female FreedomWorks activist. Her latest blog post title I won’t even write on this blog.

Last night, Jeffrey Sachs made a critical point that’s been playing out slowly in the media. It’s about collusion and coordination between Walker and the Kochs. On Obama, Sachs has it exactly right, so I’ll let the video from Lawrence O’Donnell’s show do the rest. It speaks for me.